Feeding device.



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PATBNTED JULY 24. 1906.

P.y MUELLER. FBEDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10. 1904.

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PATENTBD JULY 24, 1906.

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u/Nrrin srATnsgPATENT OFFICE.

FELIX MUELLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD STOPPER COMPANY,OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF N EW JERSEY.

FEEDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24, 1906.

Application filed August 10, 1904. Serial Noy 220.182.

279 all wlw/1t t 17m/y concern.-

Be it known that I, FELIX MUELLER, a subject of the German Emperor,residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Devices, fullydescribed and represented in the following specification and theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to improvements in feeding devices for smallarticles which are placed in large quantities in a receptaclesuch, forinstance, as a hopper-and which are fed therefrom by suitable mechanismwhich presents them in a predetermined po,- sition for a subsequentoperation.

The invention relates more particularly to mechanism which is adaptedfor feeding bottlc-caps and presenting them to the mechaniism by whichthey are aflixed to the bottles, but the invention is applicable toother uses.

The invention has for its object to produce a simple, cheap, andeffective mechanism for feeding bottle-caps or other small articles.With this and other objects not specifically referred to in view theinvention consists in certain constructions and in certain parts,

. improvements, and combinations, such as will be hereinafter fullydescribed and then specifically pointed out in the claims hereuntoappended.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation ofa bottle-capping machine having the improved feeding device attachedthereto, certain parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1 with the casing whichcovers the cap-feeding mechanism removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionof `the construction shown in Fig. 2, the section being on an enlargedscale. Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are detail views illustrating various partsof the mechanism. Fig. 8 is a plan view, partly in section, illustratingcertain parts of the driving-gearing. Fig. 9 is a face view illustratinga hopper and guideway-chamber, certain parts of the mechanism beingremoved.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment ofthe invention and which, as beforestated, illustrate the invention inconnection with a cap-affixing machine, l indicates a table or stand onwhich the bottles are placed, this table being mounted on a standard 2.and 2.)

The capping mechanism, when the invention is used in connection with acapping-machine, may be of any suitable type and constructed and mountedin any suitable way. As shown, there is provided a column 3, to which issecured a casing 4, said casing being provided with a boss 5, throughwhich passes a vertical screw-shaft 6, which is connected to the bossand casing by means of a collar 7 or in any other suitable manner. Thelower end of this shaft 6 is threaded into a nut 3, carried on thetable, and the upper end of the shaft is provided with a hand-wheel 9,so that the entirecasing and the parts carried thereby can be adjustedvertically toward and away from the table for different heights ofbottle. The capping mechanism includes a plurality of spinning rolls 10,mounted on levers 11, pivoted at 12 in a rotating hub 13. This hub isrecessed, and in the recess located a bearing-collar 14, Whichis fastyon the interior of the casing. The hub 13 is or may be provided with agear 15, by which it is driven. Passing through this hub 13 is avertically-movable post 16, this post being normally held at the lowerend of its vertical movement by means of a stiff spring 17 The lower endof the post is provided with a head 18, against which the bottles to becapped are forced, the bottles being forced upward through a taperedthroat 19 by means not sh own, as they form no part of the invention.The post 16 carries a cone 20, against which the inwardly-bent ends ofthe levers 11 bear, the construction being such that when the bottle isforced up into position and supplied with a cap by means to behereinafter described the spinning wheels are thrown inward and forcethe fiange of the cap underneath a shoulder on the bottle. The upwardmovement ofthe post 16 is limited by a setscrew 21. l

The cap-supplying mechanism includes a suitable reservoir or hopper '22,and in the preferred construction this hopper communicates with achamber 23, to which it preferably delivers the articles to be fedbygravity. This hopper and chamber form parts of a casting which issupported on a vertical column 24, clamped in a bracket 25, supported onthe column 3. In the construction shown` (Indicated in Figs. 1

lOO

the column 24 passes into a socket in a boss 26, which also preferablyforms a part of the casting referred to.

The articles are delivered to the mechanism-in the construction shown acapping mechanism-which is to subsequently operate upon them by asuitably-located chute. In the construction shown this chutecommunicates with the chamber 23, before referred to, at its upper endand at its lower end delivers the caps above the opening in the throat 19. This chute, as illustrated, comprises a casting 27, which forms thebottom of the chute, the upper end of the casting being formed as ablock 28, which is secured, by means of bolts 29 or in any othersuitable manner, to aweb 30, extending from a Wall of the chamber 23before referred to. The chute 27 is preferably partly closed at its topby means of inwardly-extending side pieces 3l, these side pieces beingarranged to form a slot between them through which the feed through thechute can be observed. These side wings stop short of the extreme end ofthe chute, which terminates in a block 32, having an opening therein toadmit the caps and resting on the throat 19. The opening in the block isslightly larger than the opening in the throat, so that a shoulder 33 isformed on which the caps rest, the center of the opening in the blockcoinciding with the center of the opening in the throat. The block 32 isheld in position by means of guides 34, whichprevent any sidewise shiftof the block. A cover-plate 35 is provided for the block, thiscover-plate having a central opening therein which is large enough topermit the Stoppers to be carried upward therethrough by the bottle asit moves up against the head 18.

In the preferred construction the throat will be hinged, as shown, (seeFigs. 4 and 5,) so that it can be swung downward when desired, thepintle of the hinge being marked 36 and the ears 37 being formed on oneof the guides 34. The throat is held in its operative position by meansof a spring-pin 38 or in any other suitable manner.

The caps or other articles to be fed are thrown into the hopper in aheterogeneous mass and must be presented by the chute to the guidingmechanism in proper position to be applied to the bottles. Meansaretherefore necessarily provided by which the stoppers are delivered tothe chute in proper position. In the preferred construction these meanswill include a guideway, and when a chamber interior the chute and thehopper is employed the guideway will be located in this chamber. Theguideway may be formed 'in any suitable manner and may be such as tolforward either a single row or a plurality of rows of caps. In thepreferred construction a plurality of rows will be forwarded by theguideway, and the guideway will be formed by ribs 39, projecting fromthe back plate of the chamber 23. In the construction illustrated tworibs 39 are employed, these two ribs forming a guideway consisting ofthree channels. These channels deliver into an inclined channel 40, downwhich the Stoppers roll into the chute, the bottom of this channel 40being formed by a rib 4i, cast on the back wall of the chamber 23.

The caps which the mechanism selected to illustrate the invention isconstructed to feed consist of a iian e-cap portion 42, from whichextend outwar ly-bent legs 43, (see Fig. 6,) so that a diameter measuredthrough the outwardly-bent depending legs of the cap is greater than adiameter measured through the to of the cap, and the ribs 39 are sospace as to permit the caps to pass into the guideway when their topsare toward the back of the chamber 23; but should they be turned overthe legs 43 will catch on the ribs, thus preventing he caps fromentering the guideway, the operation being clearly apparent from Fig. 6.

As the caps are dumped into the hopper in a heterogeneous mass it isapparent that some of them will fall from the hopper into the chamberwith their top portions facing away from instead of toward the back ofthe chamber, and that these caps will be caught, as before indicated, bythe ends of the ribs, and thus prevented from entering the guideway.Means must therefore be provided to remove the caps or other articles tobe fed from the guideway when they are presented thereto in a positionother than the predetermined position in which the guideway isconstructed to receive them. While these means may be widely varied inconstruction, they will preferably consist of lifters which may be con-`structed, mounted, and operated in any desired manner. In the preferredconstruction, and as shown, there is employed a movable plate 44, whichis preferably a rotating plate, this plate being mounted on a shaft 45,passing through a boss or bearing 46, cast on the plate, and beingfurther supported in a bearing 47, which forms a part of the casting,before referred to, by which the hopper and chamber are formed. Thisplate 44 fits into a circular opening in a circular rim 48, formed onthe casting, this circular opening including the delivery-mouth of thehopper and the chamber in which the guideway is formed, so that therotating plate 44 forms a side of the chamber and the hopper.

The plate 44 is pre 'erably given a continu- IOO IIC

ous rotary movement, which may be eHected t driven by a pinion 54,mounted on a vertical shaft 55, located in the casing 4. This shaft 55extends upwardvnearly to the top of the casing 4 and is provided with agear 56, which meshes with a gear 57, mounted on a vertical shaft 5,8,which is driven by gearing (not shown) from the main shaft of themachine.

The lifter mechanism, while it may be variously constructed, preferablyconsists of sets of pins 59, which pins are also preferably arranged inpairs and work through perforations in the plate 44. While these pinsmay ,be mounted and operated in any desired manner, in the constructionshown the plate 44 is provided with bearings 60, the number of thesebearings varying according to the number of sets of lifter-pinsemployed. In

.these bearings are mounted rock-shafts 61, provided at one end witharms 62, to which are secured springs 63, the other end of the springsbeing secured to the plate in any suitable manner, as by loops 64.Mounted on the rock-shafts 61 are hubs 65, from which extend arms 66,these arms vbeing forked at their outer end (see Fig. 7 and taking overrounded parts on bars 67, in which the pins 59 are secured. Stationaryguidepins 68 are provided, which insure straightline movement of thebars. IIt is apparent that as the shafts 61 are rocked the bars 67 willmove toward and away from the back of the plate andthe pins 59 beprotruded and withdrawn. The movement of the rockshafts may be effectedin any suitable manner. As shown, the shafts are provided with arms 69,these arms being -provided with cam-rolls 70, which run on a circularcam 71, surrounding the rim in which the plate is located.

In the preferred construction the pins 59' will serve not only to removefrom the mouth of the guideway any caps which may be in the wrongposition with respect thereto, but will serve also to a certain extentto agitate the caps in the hopper. The cam 71 is therefore preferablyprovided with two steps 7 2 and 73, the first of which, 72, permits thepins under the vinfluence of the springs 63 to move inward far enough toengage the caps in the chamber, and the second of which, 73, permits thepins to have a further inward movement, so as to stir the caps which lieclose to the delivery-mouth of the hopper,

When the mechanism is employed for feeding caps, the lower edge of whichis of irregular outline, as is the case with the caps illustrated, itmay happen that the caps in the vertical part of the guideway will lockthe caps in the channel 40 and prevent them from rolling down into thechute. When the mechanism is employed for feeding caps of thischaracter, therefore, the inward movement by which the pins are causedto engage the caps in the chamber is timed so that the pins engage thecaps in the guideway above those in the channel 40. clear the guidewayof all the caps except those in the lower horizontal row. After the pinshave passed other caps are presented to the guideway, being forced downby gravity, and if they are in'proper position to pass the guideway theywill drop through into the lower channel 40. The movement produced bythe lower step 73 of the cam 71 is timed to take place soon after thepins sweep out of the chamber 23, thus agitating the caps in and nearthe delivery-mouth of the hopper.

In order to effect the gravity feed into the chamber, the hopper ispreferably provided with a slanting bottom, as shown, and in order toprevent any choke in the mouth of the chamber means are preferablyprovided .te control this gravity feed. While these means may be variedin construction, a simple and effective means is produced by providingthe slanting bottom of the hopper with a shoulder 7 5, which serves tosustain in part the weight of the mass of caps, and thus prevents thecaps from feeding downward so rapidly as to choke the delivery-mouth ofthe hopper.

The pins therefore Changes and variations may be made in theconstruction by which the invention is carried into effect, and whilethe invention is particularly useful in connection with mechanism forapplying caps to bottles it may, as before indicated, be used in otherrelations. The inventionfis not, therefore, to be limited to thespecific details of construction hereinbefore described, and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, or to the specific use described.

What is claimed is- 1. In a feeding device, the combination with ahopper, of a delivery-chute, achamber between the hopper and thedeliverychute, the hopper being arranged with respect to the chamber sothat the articles pass thereinto by gravity, a guideway in the chamberformed to receive a plurality of rows of articles, the articles being ina precietermined position, and means by which articles presented to theguideway in other than the predetermined position are removed,substantially as described.

2. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper, of adelivery-chute, a chamber communicating with the hopper and the chute,the hopper and chute being arranged with respect to the chamber so thatthe articles are delivered from the hopper into the chamber by gravityand from the chamber into the chute by gravity, a guideway in thechamber formed to receive a plurality of rows of articles, the articlesbeing in a predetermined position, and means by which articles presentedto the guideway in other than the IOO IIO

predetermined position are removed, substantially as described.

3. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper, of adelivery-chute, a guideway between the hopper and the chute throughwhich the articles can pass only in a predetermined position, and meansby which articles presented lto the guideway in other than thepredetermined-position are removed, said means also serving to agitatethe articles and facilitate their feeding, substantially as described.

4. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper, of adelivery-chute, a chamber communicating with the hopper and the chute,the hopper and chute being arranged with respect to the chamber so thatthe articles are delivered from the hopper into the chamber by gravityand from the chamber into the chute by gravity, a guideway in thechamber constructed to permit the articles to enter it only in apredetermined position, and means by which articles presented to theguideway in other than the predetermined position are removed, saidmeans also serving to agitate the articles and facilitate their feeding,substantially as described.

5. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper, of adelivery-chute, a chamber between the hopper and the deliverychute, thehopper being arranged with respect to the chamber so that the articlespass thereinto by gravity, a guideway in the chamber formed to receive aplurality of rows of articles, the articles being in a predeterminedposition, and means by which articles presented to the guideway in otherthan the predetermined position are removed, said means also serving toagitate the articles and facilitate their feeding, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a feeding device, the combination I with a hopper, of adelivery-chute, a chamber communicating with the hopper and the chute,the hopper and chute being arranged with respect to the chamber so thatthe articles are delivered from the hopper into the chamber by gravityand from the chamber into the chute by gravity, a guideway in thechamber formed to receive a plurality of rows of articles, the articlesbeing in a predetermined position, and means by which articles presentedto the guideway in other than the predetermined position are removed,said means also serving to agitate the articles and facilitate theirfeeding, substantially as described.

7. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper, of a chamber intowhich the hopper delivers by gravity, a guideway in the chamber, theguideway being'constructed to receive the articles in a predeterminedposition, a chute into which the chamber delivers, a lifter operating toremove from the saae mouth of the guideway articles presented thereto inother than the predetermined position, and means for moving the lifterinto and out of operative position, substantially as described.

8. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper, of a chamber intowhich the hopper delivers, a chute leading from the chamber, a movableplate forming one side of the hopper and chamber, a guideway constructedto receive articles only in a predetermined position, a lifter carriedby the plate and operating to remove from the mouth of the guidewayarticles presented thereto in other than the predetermined position, andmeans for moving the lifter into and out of operative position,substantially as described.

9. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper, of a chamber intowhich the hopper delivers, a chute leading from the chamber, a guidewayconstructed to receive a plurality of articles in a predeterminedposition, a movable plate forming a side of the chamber and hopper, anda plurality of groups of pins operating to remove from the mouth of theguideway articles presented thereto in other than the predeterminedposition, substantially as described.

10. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper, of a chamberinto which the hopper delivers, a chute leading from the chamber, aguideway constructed to receive a plurality of articles in apredetermined position, a movable plate forming a side of the chamberand hopper, a plurality of groups of pins operating to remove from themouth of the guideway articles presented thereto in other than thepredetermined position, and means for moving the pins into and out ofoperative position, substantially as described.

1l. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper, of a chamberinto which the hopper delivers, a chute leading from the chamber, aguideway constructed to receive a plurality of articles in apredetermined position, a movable plate forming a side of the chamberand hopper, a plurality of Isets of pins, each set comprising aplurality of groups, operating to remove from the mouth of the guidewayarticles presented thereto in other than the predetermined position, andmeans for moving the pins into and out of operative position,substantially as described.

12. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper, of a chamberinto which the hopper delivers, one wall of the chamber being ribbed,whereby a guideway adapted to receive a plurality of rows of articles isformed, a chute communicating with the chamber, a rotating plate formingone wall of the chamber and hopper, a plurality of sets of lifterpinsoperating to remove from the mouth of ICO the guideway articlespresented thereto in other than the predetermined position and toagitate the articles in the hopper, and means for operating the pins,substantially as described.

13. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper, of a chamberinto which the hopper delivers, one wall of the chamber being ribbed,whereby a 'guideway adapted to receive a plurality of rows of articlesis formed, a chute communicating with the chamber, a rotating plateforming one wall of the chamber and hopper, a pluralitT of rock-shaftsmounted on the plate, a plurality of sets of lifter-pins operated by therockshafts, and a cam for operating the pins, substantially asdescribed.

14. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper having a slantingbottom, of a chamber to which the hopper deliversby gravity, meanswhereby articles are forwarded through the chamber in a predeterminedposition only, a chute connecting with the chamber, and means in thehopper for controlling the feed of the articles into the chamber,substantially as described.

15. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper having a slantingbottom, of a chamber to which the hopper delivers by gravity, meanswhereby the articles are forwarded through the chamber in apredetermined position, a chute connecting with the chamber, and ashoulder in the hopper serving to partly sustain the mass of articlestherein and thus control the feed, substantially as described.

16. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper having a slantingbottom, of a chamber to which the hopper delivers by gravity, meanswhereby the articles may be forwarded through the chamber in apredetermined position, means for removing the articles which arepresented in other than the predetermined position, a chute connected tothe chamber, and a shoulder in the hopper serving to partly sustain themass of articles therein, substantially as described.

17. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper having a slantingbottom, of a chamber to which the hopp er delivers by gravity, aguideway in the chamber constructed to receive the articles in apredetermined position only, means for removing from the guidewayarticles presented in other than the predetermined position, a chuteconnected to the chamber, and a shoulder in the hopper serving to partlysustain the mass of articles therein, substantially as described.

18. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper having a slantingbottom, of a chamber to which the hopper delivers by gravity, a guidewayin the chamber constructed to receive the articles in a predeterminedposition only, means for removing from the guideway articles presentedin other than the predetermined position, a chute connected to thechamber, a shoulder in the hopper serving to partly sustain the mass ofarticles therein, and means for agitating the articles near thedelivery-opening of the hopper, substantially as described.

19. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper having a slantingbottom, of a chamber to which the hopper delivers byV gravity, meanswhereby the articles may b'e forwarded through the chamber in apredetermined position, a chute connected to the chamber, a shoulder onthe slanting bottom of the hopper serving to partly sustain the mass ofarticles therein, and means for agitating the articles near thedelivery-opening of the hopper, substantially as described.

20. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper having a slantingbottom, vof a chamber to which the hopper delivers by gravity, aguideway adapted to receive the articles in a predetermined positiononly, a chute connected with the chamber, a shoulder on the slantingbottom of the hopper, and means for agitating the articles near thedelivery-opening of the hopper, said means also serving to remove fromthe guideway any articles presented thereto in other than thepredetermined position, substantially as described.

21. In a feeding device, the combination with a hopper having aslantingbottom, of a chamber to which the hopper delivers by gravity,means whereby articles ,are forwarded through the chamber in apredetermined position only, a chute connecting with the chamber, andmeans in the hopper for controlling the feed of the articles in thechamber, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence oftwosubscribing witnesses.

FELIX MUELLER.

Witnesses:

E. R. HARTY, GEORGE W. GwrNN.

